Twenty People Surreal Loved
by BloodyCrystal
Summary: It's said that everyone you meet has some impact on you, large or small, good or bad.


**Summary:** it's said that everyone you meet has some impact on you, large or small, good or bad.

**Twenty People Surreal Loved**

**1. Titian**

It took meeting Titian when she was the Harpy Queen for Surreal to realize how young and vulnerable her mother had been. For the little time Surreal had had with her demon-dead mother, she had been more like a sister than a parent.

That doesn't take away the bitter need for a parent she had once had and still might have.

**2. Daemon**

Once, Daemon had been a friend approaching the level of brother. Once, she had been young and drunk and stupid and ruined it all. Surreal likes to think that they're mending those bridges, but she knows that nothing will ever be fixed back to the way it is.

After all, now she's old enough to understand what the Sadist is.

**3. Tersa**

When Surreal had been a child, Tersa had been a mystery. She had been scared of her on some basic level, despite helping to look after the woman. Now, Surreal knows it as the gut instinct that Tersa could have been her mother—or her.

When she looks Tersa in the eyes these days, she does it with love rather than fear.

**4. Deje**

Surreal had learned a lot about one of her professions from Deje. She had been so grateful that she had gone to help the opening of Deje's Red Moon House. Sometimes, she wished that she had told Deje how much she appreciated all that the older woman had done for her.

She never returned to Terreille, not even to find out if Deje survived Jaenelle's purge.

**5. Jaenelle**

From the moment she first met Jaenelle, she knew the young, golden-haired child was special. After all, she was getting Sadi of all people to show concern. It would have been impossible for Surreal to block the charming young Witch out of her heart. Their friendship is close, for which Surreal is always grateful; they're family, after all, and it's best to be close with members of that.

Surreal still can't believe she thought the invitation came from Jaenelle.

**6. Manny**

Manny was an amazingly warm woman who filled Surreal's need for a mother figure while Sadi was climbing out of the Twisted Kingdom. That made her withdrawal into what Surreal privately terms "servant mode" that much harder to take.

She still can't bring herself to forgive the white-jeweled witch for that betrayal.

**7. Wilhelmina**

Wilhelmina had been weak, a pale shadow of Jaenelle. That was Surreal's first impression of the young woman from Chaillot when they met in Kaeleer. It took a long time for the other woman to change Surreal's conception of her, and now Surreal regrets ever seeing her as just a pale, limp Jaenelle.

Wilhelmina deserves to be recognized for the inner strength that is hers alone, and Surreal is proud to have been one of those who taught her to externalize that iron.

**8. Graysfang**

The kindred were wonderful, amazing beings. They were furry creatures with a different perspective who could help a heart-sore human learn to live and trust again. It was a privilege to have one attach to you, a mark that you were the kind of Blood that others aspired to be.

Some days, Surreal wished she were less blessed.

**9. Aaron**

Surreal couldn't tell when her friendship with Aaron came to be. She could, however, pinpoint when she first realized that he was comfortable with her.

She keeps that moment as proof that a witch can be as strong as a male.

**10. Falonar**

Whores sleep with men they don't want to sleep with; witches only sleep with men they want to sleep with. Falonar was the first man she actually wanted to sleep with, the first man she went to as a witch rather than a whore.

That might be the only reason she let him keep his balls.

**11. Karla**

Assassins and whores don't have the luxury for regrets. Since she's retired from both of those professions, Surreal figures that she has the right to regret how she treated Karla and what she thought of the Gray-Jeweled Queen when Saetan and the others were prisoners of Hekatah.

The fact that they're still friends is a damn miracle as far as she's concerned.

**12. Saetan**

Surreal had always thought that she neither needed nor wanted a father or father figure in her life. Then she met Uncle Saetan and the rest of the males in her family.

She'll never tell any of them, but she's glad that she was wrong about father figures.

**13. Marian**

Marian deserves a lot of respect by Surreal's way of thinking. Surreal would never in a million years consider getting anywhere near a bed with Lucivar considering his temper. The fact that Marian does so willingly might indicate instability of the mind, but Surreal's willing to give the Eyrien woman the benefit of the doubt.

Daemonar earns her a whole other level of respect.

**14. Gabrielle**

They're kinswomen, which was the first reason Surreal approached Gabrielle all those years ago. Now, she's glad that she did, because Gabrielle's a wonderful person whom she's glad to call cousin, friend, and Sister.

It certainly helps that the Dea al Mon Queen gives her tips on how to deal with the sudden flood of controlling males in her life.

**15. Chaosti**

Sometimes, Surreal wants to hate Chaosti. He's overbearing, overprotective, and always in her business whenever he's on her side of the realm. In fact, she wouldn't be surprised if Daemon kept him apprised as to what she was up to. She doesn't need a nursemaid, and she resents any and all implications otherwise.

He's lucky he makes good wildwood stew.

**16. Khardeen**

Khary is one of the few males in the First Circle Surreal truly gets along with. Maybe it's because he's not a Warlord Prince and doesn't feel the need to get in her business and tell her what to do or not to do. Sometimes she still wants to punch him, but that's because he's male, and he doesn't grate on her as often as the more arrogant and domineering bastards of the family do.

Somehow, he's the one who manages to talk her into doing what he wants.

**17. Lucivar**

Lucivar is a prick. Daemon calls him that, and it's a pretty accurate label. He's bossy and temperamental, especially when it comes to the witches in the SaDiablo-Yaslana family, which unfortunately includes her. She's already decided to never tamely submit to whatever he decides is good for her.

She'll just hold her breath through the dunking so that she has a better shot at his vitals.

**18. Daemonar**

All of the males in the family are the same. She can't believe she hasn't learned that lesson yet. Well, there's Daemonar, ready to pound the fact home. She's always tempted to lock him out; his father and uncles, blood family and otherwise, are more than bad enough, after all.

Since he's apparently ignorant of that fact, Surreal is more than happy to engrave it on his thick skull.

**19. Rainier**

Whenever she needs an escort or just a friend who isn't female, Surreal knows that Rainier will be there for her to turn to. She doesn't want to get dependent on him, because he might not always be there, but sometimes he just makes it so damned easy.

She's just glad that he's there during the times that she wants to punch him.

**20. Surreal**

Surreal looks in the mirror, eyes skimming the tan skin and black hair she used to hate. She smiles as she looks at how the dress hugs her figure, revealing a body still in peak condition. The long, dangling earrings from Karla catch the eye, drawing attention to her pointed ears. She adjusts the Gray hanging from her neck and turns to go before Graysfang whines at her again.

She has a family reunion to attend.


End file.
